Supply mechanism



T. D. LANE SUPPLY unca'mrsu original Filed Nov. 7. 1931 Feb. 9. 1937. d

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Ressued Feb. 9, i937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUPPLY MCECHANSM Original No. 1.940.217, dated December 19, i933.

Serial No. 513.113, November 7. 193i. Application for reissue June 9. 1934. Serial No.

in cum ing machine. and fresh. h'ot water is supplied" j through a spray head to rinse the dishes alter being cleaned. Such dishwashing machines ordii nariiy have the cleaning solution reservoir ar- 's ranged below the spray heads so that the water l trom the spray heads drains od the dishes being rinsed and falls into the reservoir oi eleaninl solution.- An overiiow pipe is provided at a predetermined height in the solution reservoir so that b an amount ot the cleanins solution coul! w me amount of spray water introduced overiiowa at each spraying operation. This. of course. dilut l the cleaning solution upon each operation. and in order to maintain the solution at a s proper strength-toreleaning the dishes. it il necesary to add concentrated cleaning solution at frequent intervals.

Anessentialobjectoi'tlmpresentinventim lstoprovidemeanswherebya oraolntiomia introduction o! a large quantity o! concentrated oleanint oolutlontoinltialiy cbartethedishwaahlng machine. Byhaving the mechanism oi i charme: uur vm comme a n ed quantity oi cleaning medium controlled by and concurrently with the operation o! the dlscharse ,of the rinse water automatic operltion o! the cleaning solution apparatus la secured with certainty and eiiiciency of multe. ln' the adaptation of the shown in the drawing. there is provided a tank i adapted to contain a quantity oi soluble clean ing material and a pipe connected from a rinsing spray lineoi a dishwuhing machine to the interior o! the tank. A small openinl IS provided to permit a predetermined quantity of water from the rinse line to enter the tank upon each rinsing operation. an over-dow opening being provided interiorly oi the tank to maintain the level o! the liquid in said tank at a Predetermined heisbt. The overdow from said tank is conducted into the solution reservoir of a disli- (CL lil-9) washing machine with which the device Is as sociated. A manually operable valve is provided for quickly discharging a large quantity of the contents oi the tank into the solution reservoir oi the dishwashing machine. and controlled inlet 5 means are provided te rapidly till the tank after a charging operation.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully brought out in the. following description and the accompanying drawing. 1g w erein:

gure l is a vertical. sectional view through a mechanism embodying the present invention. Figure 2 is a sectional view on-the line 2-2 of Figure l: and l Figure 3 is an enlargedionsitudinai. sectional view oi a metering outlet.

portion I. andaooilonspriogllismmmtod lowraideoliartoreatupontbeuppersuriaceoi' thevaiveseatltohoidtnevalvenormaliyina position. The container l ia provided present invention; flange' i5 around the periphery thereof e0 dose the upper end-otthe container.

An upwardly extending collar in' the cover and is adapted directly above the center ot' the odset portion i of the annular wall l. Siidably mounted in this ilanged'collar is a valve operating member I`l. This member is provided with an enlarged head so portion il with a downwardly turned peripheral aange Il adapted to surround the collar it. This member ls provided with a tunnel-shaped :hrt Il on the lower end thereof and has a central openlngoiasizetoireelyreoelvetheupperend is provided o! the valve operating rod Iii. A water supply Pipe 2| iS-mounted in one side oi the wall I of the container and has a metered discharge outlet 22 mounted therein. The construction of this metered outlet is clearly shown in Figure 3. It comprises a sleeve 23 in which the two sides ol the pipe 2i are threadediy inserted. A small outlet nozzle 2i is threadedly inserted in the central portion oi the sleeve and a small metering plug 25 is threadedly inserted in the top of the nozzle 24. By providing metering plugs with different sizes oi central openings the rate of discharge oi water therethrough can be determined with sufllclent accuracy to meet the requirements of an installation in which the ow 0l rinse water, and pressure on the rinse line is known. This is not intended to be adjustable in use and when the proper size oi metering plug has been inserted for a predetermined water pressure and a required tlow oi cleaning material. no further adiustment is required. A downwardly projecting pipe 2i is in open communication with the pipe 2i and this downwardly projecting pipe is closed at its lower end and ls provided with radially. disposed spray openings 21 therein' so that water passing through the pipe 26 will be sprayed outwardly through these openings. A slldable sleeve 28 is mounted over the tube 21 and the upper end thereof is bent inwardly to slightly clear the pipe 21 to permit (ree slidable movement ofl the sleeve 2l with respect to the pipe 2B. A yoke 29 is connected to the slidable sleeve 2l and this yoke is connected on its outer ends to an annular iloat 3U which' may be of cork or other construction. as required.

The liquid level in the container is indicated by the dotted line 3i and it will be noted that as the liquid reaches this level the slidable sleeve 2l will be raised upwardly by the iloat 20 to cover the openings 21 in the downwardly extending Pipe 26 so that water expelled from these openings will be carried downwardly inside the sleeve 28 and thence through the overflow tube 1. The tlow ot clean water through the overflow pipe prevents crystallization of the interior of this pipe by the concentrated cleaning solution. The top plate o! a dishwashing machine is-lndlcated at 32 and the extended lower end o! the overflow tubo 1 and also an extension 23 from below the valve l are inserted through openings cut in the top plate 22 ol tbe dishwashlng machine. The lower ends of the tube 1 and extension 83 are threaded and a washer of rubber or other suitable material is provided to form a water-tight seal at the point ol penetration of the plate 22 by the tube 1 and the extension 23. Nuts I4 and 35 are threaded onto the lower end of the tube 1 and extension 8l. respectively, to hold the containcr I rigidly in position on the dish-washing machin e, The adaptation shown in the drawing illustrates one method o! installation embodying an essential characteristic of the invention. l. c the automatic operation of the invention in nxed relation to the rinsing operation. In this adaptation installation is accomplished by drilling and tapping a hole in a water supply pipe I6 of a dishwashing machine to receive a ntting I! into which is threadcdly inserted a tube 2l. The tube 2| is then brought by the most convenient route into the interior o! the container I. as illustrated in Figure i. With a predetermined city water pressure. whicn may be accurately determined for any given locality of the city. a certain size of metering plug 25 may be specified by the manufacturer lor a known sin and model of dishwashing machine. l! desired. a pressure gauge may be threadediy inserted into the hole drilled and tapped in the pipe 36 to determine the water pressure and tables may be provided for the men doing the installing so that with a specified water pressure and specied type ol dishwashing machine a certain size of metering plug 25 may be speciiled.

Another way of determining the pressure would be to insert a specified size ol metering plug 25 and then turn on the rinse and note the time required before the container i overflows through the tube 1. Holes of a required size are then cut in the top plate 12 of the dishwashing machine so that the tube 1 and extension J will be in a position to discharge the contents of the container I downwardly into the solution reservoir of the dishwashing machine. Ii desired. and space within the dlshwashlng machine permits. the container I may be mounted interiorly of the dishwashlng machine. These. however, are matters tor consideration lor individual installations, either method oi' installation being satisfactory. provided it does not interfere with the normal operation ot the dishwashing machine.

In operating the device the cover I4 is removed from the container I and a quantity oi soluble cleaning material. not shown. is inserted in the container i around the wall I. The cleaning material may be inserted to the height oi the upper 'end of the member l and preferably should not be added to extend beyond this height. The cover Il is then jeplaced. the skirt 2l acting to guide.

the rod IB into the operating button I1. When the tank is empty ot liquid, thelloat l0 and attachcdsleeve 2l will be inthe downward or dotted line position indicated in Figure i, so that upon each operation of the rinse' s121118 oi the dishwashlng machine. watcr will be discharged ,through the openings 21 of the pipe 2i. Also. at cach spraying operation, a small quantity oi.' water will be discharged-through the metering plug 25 and nonle 2l. The water passes downwardly through the notched opening 6 and upwardly into the soluble cleaning substance contained in the space between the wall of the container i and the wall I. Upon rising of the liquid level in the container to the dotted line position II. theupperedseoitheslcevewillbemoved above the openings 21 'so that the water from theseopeningswillpassdownwardlyandbedischarged through the overilow pipe. Therefore. as long as the liquid level remains at the height ol the dotted line II, the only water entering the contalnerwillpassthroughthemetercdorillcelnthometcrlngplugl. lhiswatcrwiliililthe containcrtotbetopoltheoverilowtubeland thcxcdtcrateachrinsingoperadonasmali quantityo! llquldinthccontainerwillbe caused to ovcrowthroughthetube 1 andpassdownwardly into the reservoir of the dishwashing machine with which thc device is associated. After the reservoir oi the dishwashing machine has been drained and rciilled with fresh water. it is necessary to initially charge the fresh water with cleaning compound and this is accomplished by depressing the operating button I1' which opens the valve l and discharges the liquid in the container I into the reservoir of the dishwashins machine. Thereafter the container will be rapidly nlled by the water passing through the openings 21 and from this point on the operation will be as above described.

As it will be apparent. by having the operation 0i feeding the cleaning medium to the dishwash- .ng machine ln predetermined amounts made dependent upon the operation of -ieeding the rinse waterlnto the dishwashing machine, an operator is relieved from pafiyirigA any attention to the means lor ieedlng the cleaning medium to the dishwashing machine and is enabled to iepend upon the certainty o! automatic operation. Fur'thermore.^the operation is made particularly :mclent and economical. As shown. I'preierably provide the tank with two communicating compartments. one holding the cleaning compound and the other being a discharge compartment with the metered inlet opening oi -the water supply discharging apredetermined vi'xuantity of water tothe cleaning material compartment at each operation of the rinse. The two compartments being communicating, results in an even level of the solution produced by the inletV ot water being maintained in the communicating compartments, so that as far as holding the cleaning solution is concerned, the two compartments act as a single compartment. As the level in the two compartments is raised. by the inlet ot water to the compartments to a level above the overilow means. that excess of raised solution passes through the overiiow means tothe dishwashing machine. Thus,the amount ot cleaning medium that passes to the dishwashing machinevis an absolutely determined quantity. I have i'ound it an advantage to divide the con- Itainer into two compartments, lor the reason that the cleaning compound itself is kept out of contact with the overilovr outlet, except when it iis in solution. eventhough those two compart- )ments so communicate that as tar as holding the gsolutionis. concerned they act as a single coni-4 fpartment. A

Th'e device comprises a simple and elIective means for charging a-dishwashing machine with concentrated cleaning material 'and thereafter supplying concentrated cleaning material to the.

reservoir oi' the dishwashing machine' in proportion `to the amount o! rinse .water used in the dishwshlng machine.

1. A solution tank of the character described, comprising a container, an inner compartment within said container having liquid communication with the space outsidesald compartment, an' overilow device in said compartment having its inietnopening spaced upwardly from the bottom o! the container above the point at which the inner compartment has liquid.' communication with the space outside of said compartment, said overflow device discharging exteriorly of the container, -a water supply pipe entering said container and said inner compartment, said water supply pipe having an opening therein adapted to discharge water passing through said pipe into said inner compartment. and float control means operated by a predetermined rise of liquid within the inner compartment and the space outside said compartment of said container to direct4 tainlngthe' said overflow means having its inlet disposed above the openings in the division wall and discharging exteriorly of the container. a pipe passing through a wall oi ,said container into the interior thereof; and;y adapted to be connected at its opposite end to the rinse water spray line oi a dishwashlng machine. said line having a small opening therein positioned interlorly of -said container to discharge a quantity oi water from said rinse line into the soluble material containing compartment of the container.

3. A solution tank oi the character described. comprising a container, a division wall therein dividing said container into two compartments. said division wall having openings therein near the bottom oi' the container for the passage of liquid from one compartment to the'other, one ofv said compartments being adapted to contain a quantity of soluble cleaning material, comparatively large overilow means within the compartment opposed to the soluble cleaning material containing compartment, said overow means having itsinlet disposed above 'the openings in the division wall and discharging exterior-ly of the container. a pipe passing through a wall of said container into the interior thereof and adapt- .ed to beconnected at its outer end to the rinse water sprayline oi a dishwashing machine. said line' having a meteredl opening positioned interiorly of said container to discharge a predetermined quantity of water from the rinse lineinto ypartaientand-having an inlet opening therein spaced above the bottom oi' said compartment. said opstanding wall having openings therein for the passage of liquid between said compartments, a valve mounted in said container near the bottom thereofl and manually operable to discharge the liquid contents of said container. a pipe extending throughthe wall of the container into the interior thereof and having a small orifice thereininteriorly of said container discharging into the compartment containing the cleaning material. the end ot said pipe extending into the compartment opposed to the compartment concleaning material and having openings thcreln discharging water passing through said pipe into said compartment, iloat control means operated by a predetermined rise oi.' liquid in said container to direct water passing through said last mentioned openings into said overilow pipe. the outer end of said pipe being adapted to be connected to the rinse water line of a dishwashing machine.

5. In combination with the rinse line o! a dish- 'washing machine, a solution tank for dissolving and feeding solution to the dlshwashing machine.

said tank comprising a container, a vertically disposed division wall therein lnteriorly dividing said container into a cleaning material storage compartment, and a solution storage compartment, said division wall being formed with openings conn'ecting the lower portions of said compartments, an overiiow passage for feeding solution to the dlshwa'shlng machine leading from said solution storage compartment from a point above the openings in said division wall. a pipe leading from the rinse water spray line into said container, said pipe having an outlet into the cleaning material storage compartment of the container whereby the operation oi the rinse line `iviil bypass a predetermined quantity of water from the rinse line into said cleaning material storage compartment at each operation oi the rinse line.

6. A solution tank of the character described. comprising a container embodying side. top and bottom walls. a division wall extending upwardly imm the bottom wall oi the container dividing the same into two compartments, one of which comprises a soluble cleaning material storage compartment and the other of which comprises a solution storage compartment of substantial size. said division wall being formed with openings adjacent its bottom edge. said openings comprising a communication between the compartments, said wall being lrnperi'orate above said openings. a water supply inlet means opening into the upper end o! the soluble cleaning material storage compartment and comprising means for supplying water intermittently thereto, and an overflow passage leading from said solution storage compartment from a point above the openings in the division wall but below the top of said division wall. said overilow opening discharging through an exterior wall of said container.

7. In ,combination with a rinse line having a rinse control valve bi' a dishwashing machine. a solution tank including a compartment for holding a quantity of soluble cleaning material and an adjacent solution holding compartment. the dividing wall between said compartments being formed with a connecting passage and being im' periorate above said passage tov maintain a uniiorm level in the two compartments. said solution compartment being formed with an overuow discharge passage at a point above the connecting passage in the dividing wall to the dishwashing machine. and bypass means leading from that side of the rinse line which constitutes the discharge side with respect to the rinse control valve to the soluble material holding compartment oi said tank and adapted to discharge a portion o! the water passing through said rinse line into said soluble material holding compartment at each operation oi the rinse line. for the purpose set forth. i

il. A solution tank comprising a container having a vertical partition therein dividing said container into a cleaning material storage compartment and a solution storage compartment. said i compartments being in communication only through the lower end of said partition, means for supplying water intermittently to said first compartment. screen lmeans positioned in the material storage compartment above the point of communication between said two compartments, said screen means constituting a perforated division wall permitting the passage of the solution therethrough from the cleaning material storage compartment to the solution storage compartment and overflow means for said solution storage compartment having its inlet positioned at some distance above the communication between said compartments but below the top oi .mid partition.

9. In combination with the rinse line of a dishwashing machine. said machine including a receptacle for holding articles to be washed: a solution tank for holding a quantity oi soluble cleaning material, a rinse control valve for said rinse line, a separate pipe branching Vfrom said rinse line on th'e discharge side of said valve and leading to said solution tank. said pipe being adapted to discharge a portion of the water naming through said rinse line onto said soluble cleaning material in said tank at each operation of said rinse line. means on said pipe for controlling the amount ot water discharged therefrom onto said soluble cleaning material at each operation of said rinse line. and a conduit separate from said rinsellneandconnectingsaidtanktosaidreceptac1e. e

l0. The structure of claim 9, and said controlling means on said pipe comprising a metering i plug. l

THOMAS D. LANE.

CERTIFICATE 0F coRREcTIoN.

Reissue No. 20,262. February 9, 1957.

THOMAS D. LANE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, first column, line '(1, claim 2, for overflow means 'havnig its inlet disposed" 'read division wall haring openings therein for; and that the said Letters Patent should be reed with this correction therein that the same may conform to the` record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed andealed this 20th day of September, A. D. 1958.

Henry Van Arsdal e (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

